E-Government is digital interaction between a government and civilians, government and businesses and between government agencies. This digital interaction consists of governance, information and communication technology (ICT), business process re-engineering, and e-citizen at all levels of government.
Digital Government refers to 'How government utilized IT, ICT and other telecommunication technologies, to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency in the public division. E-Government should enable anyone visiting a city website to communicate and interact with city employees via the Internet with graphical user interfaces (GUI), instant-messaging (IM), audio/video presentations, and in any way more sophisticated than a simple email letter to the address provided at the site. The use of technology to enhance the access to and delivery of government services to benefit citizens, business partners and employees. The point should be on:
The use of Information and communication knowledge, and predominantly the Internet, as a contrivance to accomplish better government
The use of information and communication technologies in all surfaces of the process of a government association.
The continuous optimization of service deliverance, public contribution and governance by transforming internal and external interaction through technology, the Internet and new media.
E-Government has traditionally been understood as being centered on the operations of government, e-Governance is understood to extend the scope by including citizen rendezvous and participation in governance. As such, following in line can be defined as the use of ICTs as a tool to achieve better governance. Government-to-Citizen (abbreviated G2C) is the communication link between a government and private individuals or residents. Such G2C communication most often refers to that which takes place through Information Communication Technologies (or ICTs), but can also include direct mail and media campaigns. G2C can take place at the federal, state, and local levels. G2C stands in contrast to Government-to-Business (G2B) networks.
Questions
My E.G. Services Berhad is a concessionaire for the Malaysian E-Government MSC Flagship Application and plays the role as Service Provider for the E-Services component essentially provides the electronic link between the Government and citizens/businesses. Visit the MyEg (http://www.myeg.com.my/) web site and discuss on the plus and minus point of the web site
Suggest your opinion on how to overcome the minus point that you have mention in question 1 to improve the MyEg services.
Answer question 1
About MyEG.com
MY E.G. Services Bhd ("MYEG") was incorporated in Malaysia as a private limited company on 17 February 2000 as I.T. Marvel Sdn Bhd. Subsequently, the Company changed its name to My E.G. Dot Com Sdn Bhd before assuming the present name on 13 October 2001. On 13 April 2005, the Company changed its status to a public company and assumed its present name, My E.G. Services Berhad, in conjunction with its listing on the MESDAQ Market.
MYEG began by developing online government transactional services for the Malaysian community through its Electronic Government (E-Government) Initiatives. MYEG focuses on delivering improvements in the Government internal operations and in the delivery of services to the consumers. The success of its online transactional services has spurred MYEG to expand its operations and undertake more Government projects.
In June 2004, MYEG acquired Gale Vector Sdn Bhd ("GVSB"), which provides software solutions and maintenance services to clients. The acquisition of GVSB enables the Company to strengthen its core technical expertise and contribute to the ongoing development of MYEG Enterprise Service Platform.
The Group has also expanded its operations into E-Insurance solutions and other insurance-related services through its other subsidiary, PDX.net Sdn Bhd ("PNSB"). PNSB commenced operations on 1 January 2005 and currently provides electronic computer linkages, through its software applications and Internet technologies, between insurance companies and JPJ on the issuance of E-Cover Notes.
MYEG together with its group of Companies serves as a community-based information and services centre for the public to access information, execute transactions and interact with the government and government-related institutions.
Advantages of MyEG
as government service provider, they provides some services to public such as provides e-services from government department an agencies, example, JPJ (Road Transportation Department) on driving licenses and road tax renewal with insurances. They are also provides services for PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police Department) with payment of Summons and inquiry, MyEG also includes with Department of Insolvency where public can notes on liquidation search and bankruptcy. In certain cities, such as Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) on payment, compound inquiry, and assessment and some of government department, state registration office (JPN) for identification card (myKad) replacement services, and Immigration Department of Malaysia on renewal of foreign worker and maids. MyEG service provider also provides services to semi-government department such as Tenaga Nasional and Telekom Malaysia on bill payment and inquiry.
Road Tax Renewal and Auto Insurance
To attract public attentions, MyEG is giving discounts for Insurance and Road Tax of 30%. Besides that, MyEG agents will send the road tax to house, without service of charge, absolute free. Once being chosen as MyEG VIP Customer, you can always call MyEG customer service and will give the customer individual support in customer vehicle (Malaysian registered vehicle with JPJ) 'problems'. This would include assistance in making any insurance claims, providing assistance to request for discounts in any JPJ or PDRM summons. The customer will also get benefits of VIP member promotions and privileges from time to time. During the renewal process, Road Transportation Department (JPJ) online service will check any outstanding summons and blacklist records at both JPJ and PDRM database systems. In order to proceed with this renewal, it is necessary for you to settle all traffic offences recorded. The advantage of having online road tax renewal through access to the internet; it helps to complete customers renewal comfortably at home or at the office. This service is time saving, hassle free, accessible and cost effective at any time. Many customer still doubt about online tax renewal, MyEG, it is safe and secure. The online Road Tax Renewal through MyEG Services Berhad's website has been audited, verified and approved by Road Transportation Department (JPJ) and Government. The Government has given the authorization for MyEG Services to provide the online renewal services. Every successful transaction will be issued with e-Services receipt.
PDRM Summons
PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police Department) has provides us free PDRM Alert service which will alert customer if they had any summons in the future. Normally, you may not receive any notice that you have been issued a summons until after a one month of grace period. Through this free service, we will inform you on any summons you may have via email. Once the transactions complete, the online summons payment will be processed within 48 hours from the time of the payment was made then only the summons is cleared. MyEG also provide the customer to view summons for free of charge even for behalf of other people. Every summons is being updated daily by PDRM.
Payment/ transactions concept
Credit cards
A credit card is a miniature electronic synthetic card issued to customer as a payment system. It allows the customer to buy merchandise and services based on the customer's usage agreement while purchasing merchandise and services. The credit card concept is to allow the customer to pay or borrow money for transactions to a merchant as advance cash to the customers. When a purchase is made, the credit card user agrees to pay the card issuer. The cardholder indicates consent to pay by entering a. personal identification number (PIN) or by signing a proof of payment with a record of the card details and indicating the amount to be paid.
Financial Process Exchange (FPX)
Financial Process Exchange (FPX) s a payment channel that allows you to make payment via online real-time through your current or savings account. All you need is an Internet banking account with any of FPX participating banks. It is simple, convenient and secure.
E-cash
MyEG is also allow their user to have e-cash transactions. It is just require the user to load some credit into MyEG account. The reality of E-cash is only slightly more complicated, and these complications make the transactions both secure and private. E-cash truly globalizes the economy, since the user can download money into his cyber-wallet in any currency desired. A merchant can accept any currency and convert it to local currency when the cyber cash is uploaded to the bank account.
To the extent a user wants E-cash off-line all that is necessary is smart card technology. The money is loaded onto the smartcard, and special electronic wallets are used to offload the money onto other smartcards or directly to an on-line system. Smartcards have been used successful in other countries for such transactions as phone calls for a number of years. The money could also be removed from a smartcard and returned to a bank account. Visa is developing a related product, the stored value card. This card comes in a variety of denominations, but functions more like a debit card than E-cash. In essence, E-cash combines the benefits of other transaction mediums. Thus, it is similar to debit/credit cards, but E-cash allows individuals to conduct transactions with each other. It is similar to personal checks, but it is feasible for very small transactions. While it appears superior to other forms, E-cash will not completely replace paper currency. Use of E-cash will require special hardware, and while most people will have access, not all will. However, E-cash presents special challenges for the existing "middlemen" of the current paper currency society. More and more, banks and other financial intermediaries will serve simply as storehouses for money, lenders, and processing/verifying electronic transactions. Personal interaction with a teller or even visits to a bank ATM will become obsolete.
Disadvantages
Even there is advantages on MyEG website, there is also has certain disadvantages. For many recent the customer has to call MyEG helpdesk, to get more information on how to solve the problem faced in MyEG website. MyEG website has also provides some solutions for the user to solve problem while doing transaction through online. The following are some of disadvantages.
Payment rejected
According to MyEG website, the customers frequently face the problem when making transactions whereas the payment gets rejected. There are few reasons where the payment gets rejected such as credit card problem or system error. The credit card may not work cause of due to credit card status. If the problems with system error cause by broken or time run out because server cannot be reach. It can also reason as the system is at fault to disruption of network or the entire system.
Connection error
The reason of connection error fault is also occur every time where the user gets blank page or error message "forbidden 404". When this problem occurs, the customer has to call helpdesk for assistance to continue transactions. Thus is due to system intermittence error. Sometimes the system is at fault due to disruption of network or the entire system
Online fault
Many of customer complaint on MyEG website that it is load slow. The reason is the server system facing heavy loads of traffic on the network or the entire system. Sometimes, the user gets an error message "Connection is closed by server". This may happen because MyEG server may be down or maintenance works on.
Updating
Many of customer use MyEG website to pay their summons with Road Transportation Department (JPJ) and Royal Police Department (PDRM). They prefer to do so because it is ease and not to queue at payment tolls of each department. Because of updating, certain customer facing problem where the summonses taken down, the summonses from JPJ and PDRM will be on website for 2 weeks only from the date of the offence. If the summonses are not paid within this 2-week period, JPJ and PDRM will take down the summonses and you need to go to JPJ and PDRM counters to pay summonses.
Payment concept
Although MyEG provides the electronic payment concept, not all the services allow the same way to make payment. For example, My Card replacement has only one options of payment, credit cards.
MyCard services
MyEG also provides MyCard identification card service such as replacement or damage. This service, the customer still needs to go to the department for thumbprint and identification. The service is not very convenient to public because their still need to go to take at department counter to collect their identification card even after online transaction completed.
Overcome minus point
A robust authentication process ensures the security of the data and the transaction. Internet transactions are growing in their scope and are making the transaction process smoother. However, there is a big threat of data leakage with these types of transactions. Therefore there is need to ensure the identity authentication. This process generally needs to utilize multi-factor authentication. Data encryption is also an important part of this process. The main setback for authentication practices is that these strategies utilize very weak technologies for the process. The protection provided is very basic and passive in nature. It also is reactionary in nature than being pro-active. The identity or the details of the imposter are disclosed only in case any crime is perpetrated. Therefore, now there is a demand for proactive measures of security.
The MyEG website must have close connection with credit cards merchants. His way the customer will easily get notifications after each transaction immediately.
To improve the connection with MyEG, it is highly recommended to surf at non peak time so that it can reduce heavy traffic through network. MyEG recommends using broadband for faster surfing while accessing MyEG services.
Another weak point of MyEG website is extended Hypertext Markup Language (xhtml). This may also one of cause the load time slow. Compared to other service provider are using hypertext preprocessor or asynchronous JavaScript on their website.
These are some step to improve website connectivity. Firstly increase the performance on website. It also must speed up execution time on server. This step will increase more efficiency with fewer sources. It is also important the network to send fewer bytes out. This will increase amount of data transferred. MyEG is also need to optimize frontend. This will help to optimize the download resources and rendering layouts of pages. The server control processing unit must be maximized to get better performance and good processing.
MyEG uses only three types of payment ways. This has to be improved by having more ways of making payments such as e-currency, e-money, electronic currency, digital money, digital cash, digital currency, cyber currency.
It is refers to money or cheque which is only swap electronically. Typically, this involves the use of computer networks, the internet and digital stored value systems. Other transactions are Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), direct deposit, digital gold currency and virtual currency. Also, it is a collective term for financial cryptography and technologies enabling it.
Conclusions
E-government today offers government tools to design the future and increase capacity. it takes time to enable a stable, predictable, faster and flexible governance to take place. With the latest knowledge and technology available, the way government operates will naturally intertwined with technology. In the future, we can view e-government more scientific and technological way of performing daily routines.
MyEG is a government service provider website that brings the government near to citizen. It can also expected to build cross with all agencies in the same tier and opposite to bring equal benefits to the user.
By archiving successful web based service provider, we are reaching the objective of Vision 2020 in development which helped raise the economy standards. Besides that, e-commerce will be the basis for everyone and merchants alike increase in the virtual market. In addition, Information, communication and technology playing big role in the new economy such as providing kiosk facilities.
